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We're Needed
The man from the Ministry knows more than he's telling. Cast * Paula Cohen * Maxine Myers * Sam Yao * Steel Plot Purposeful The Ministry has had confirmation that the infirmary at the airport was part of Van Ark’s network and have sent out an operative to meet you in the field. That Was The Zom You’re horrified to see a sprinting zombie with a hockey stick seemingly herding a gaggle of shamblers. As you think matters couldn’t get any words, she speaks. To Hamelin A mysterious man wearing a bowler hat, suit and gloves appears - he crushes the shepherdess zombie’s skull nonchalantly before introducing himself as Steel. We're Needed The shepherdess was one of Paula’s test subjects that was injected with VS72 before the apocalypse. Paula is horrified to see the results of the treatment. Can't Keep Beth Waiting Steel says a contact will meet you outside the infirmary - he radios in to his contact, who apparently has some things to show you. A Zombie-Free Path Sam points out that the woman has a vestigial tail - another previously undocumented side effect of the serum. Who Was Steel? As you head home, Sam receives a message from the Ministry apologising for their operative being unable to attend their rendezvous. So... who was Steel? Transcripts MAXINE MYERS: Runner Five? Paula and I have a very important mission for you today. coughs PAULA COHEN: Hello, Runner Five. I’m sorry for not briefing you in advance about this mission, but you know how Janine is about security, especially with everything that’s happened. But of course, we wouldn’t have woken Maxie up if it wasn’t important. Despite the cold weather today – sorry about that – you’ll be running out to Hamlin Airfield. We’ve identified it with the help of the Ministry as a possible site for one of Van Ark’s secret labs. SAM YAO: I thought we’d – well, you know – dealt with Van Ark. MAXINE MYERS: We had hoped. PAULA COHEN: He was always a bit of a control freak boss. But you know, at the time, it felt like we were doing such important work. We really thought we’d be able to heal critical illness and catastrophic injury. We were able to regenerate limbs! It felt like such a good thing - MAXINE MYERS: I know, honey. PAULA COHEN: He was obsessively secretive. He left his research notes in zombie guarded dumps all over the place, in part so that I wouldn’t have access to all of them. He never trusted me. MAXINE MYERS: Yeah, whereas I never doubted you. laugh and kiss PAULA COHEN: The Ministry has had contact with people at Hamlin Airfield who confirm that the infirmary there was part of Van Ark’s network. The Ministry is very keen to establish contact with them. They’re even sending out one of their own operatives to work with you in the field. MAXINE MYERS: That lab might hold the secret to the vaccine against the zombie contagion, or possibly even have some insight into whatever it was that Van Ark injected you with, Runner Five. SAM YAO: Or even – since we’ve never found where Van Ark made that stuff he injected Albert with - well, maybe a cure for Maxine. PAULA COHEN: We can’t dare to hope that yet. Right now, the goal is just to establish contact. Friendly contact. And Runner Five? Be careful. They asked for you by name. SAM YAO: So there’s no telling what you might be walking into. PAULA COHEN: Sam, you’re helping too much. MAXINE MYERS: The Ministry contact will be there to help you, Runner Five. SAM YAO: Runner Five, there’s uh, six, seven undead coming in from the north. And there’s something weird. They’re not moving like fast zoms, but they’re fast for shamblers. Sort of purposeful. Hmm, what do you think, Paula? PAULA COHEN: Run! SAM YAO: The zoms are closing in on you, Five, coming over that rise to your left. They’re – what the - ? I’ve never seen anything like that before. PAULA COHEN: That one in the back is definitely dead, isn’t she? The sprinter? MAXINE MYERS: Judging by the maggots… SAM YAO: Oh, God! She’s got a hockey stick that she’s using as some kind of shepherd’s crook, and she’s - PAULA COHEN: - herding the other zombies. SAM YAO: Paula, did Van Ark - ? PAULA COHEN: No! At least, not that I ever knew about. What is this? MAXINE MYERS: Border collie DNA? PAULA COHEN: You’ve still got it, babe. SAM YAO: Right. Runner Five, they’re all shamblers except that one at the back. She’s got them moving at a faster clip than usual, but you should be able to outdistance them with a burst of speed. Right now! … Uh oh. Runner Five, bad news. That shepherdess zom has abandoned her flock and is sprinting after you. She’s gaining on you. SHEPHERDESS ZOMBIE: So it thinks it’s the Gingerbread Man! SAM YAO: Was that the zom? MAXINE MYERS: That was the zom. MAXINE MYERS: Is it one of the uh, people from Comansys? PAULA COHEN: No. Darling, it can’t be. Look, half its skull is missing. That’s not what happens to them. MAXINE MYERS: That’s right, they don’t inject the skull, they don’t inject in the face, they don’t um – it’s not that. SAM YAO: It’s not, definitely. It’s a zom. But since when do the undead mouth off? PAULA COHEN: I think I – I recognize that woman. SHEPHERDESS ZOMBIE: I’m going to suck your brains! SAM YAO: Not the best time for a reunion, Paula. MAXINE MYERS: Watch out for her crook, Runner Five! SAM YAO: Faster, Runner Five! She’s gaining on you. She’s too fast. Keep running! What are we going to do? There are no other runners in the field. We have to raise New Canton. That shepherdess is going to kill Runner Five! splatters STEELE: I say, I do apologize. Were you intending to kill that zom yourself? Hate to deprive you of the sport. SAM YAO: Is that a bowler hat? PAULA COHEN: And a bespoke suit? MAXINE MYERS: And kid gloves? PAULA COHEN: It is cold… SAM YAO: And did that bloke in the suit just crush the zom’s skull with his bowler hat? STEELE: Well, hello there, old bean. Terribly glad to meet you. You must be Abel Township Runner Five. I don’t mind saying your reputation precedes you. Name’s Steele. I’m - laughs the man from the Ministry, here to take you to Hamlin. Do run this way, Runner Five. STEELE: That young woman was Claire Barnette in life. SAM YAO: Wait, wait, wait. Claire Barnette, Claire Barnette… I know that name. STEELE: She was one of a small group who have taken shelter at the lab at Hamlin Air Base. You can see it there, just at your two. Claire was a brave woman. Saved a child just a few days ago, but was bitten in the process. The contagion interacts strangely with Van Ark’s treatments, and for a while, we thought she might be alright. sighs She’ll be sadly missed. PAULA COHEN: Wait, Van Ark’s treatments? I’m sure I recognize that woman. SAM YAO: Oh my God, Claire Barnette! She was in your files, Paula! The ones we found about your test subjects. PAULA COHEN: Oh God, yes. It’s her. I even remember injecting her with VS-72. MAXINE MYERS: That serum you made with Van Ark? PAULA COHEN: Before the apocalypse, yes. She was one of the patients in our first human trial. STEELE: Those are the people who have taken shelter at Hamlin Air Base. There are three of them. Well, two, now. They’re survivors from Van Ark’s original drugs trials. PAULA COHEN: Oh God. Whatever we treated them with, it’s done something terrible to them. SAM YAO: Paula, look at the monitor. Do you see what I’m seeing? PAULA COHEN: It can’t be. MAXINE MYERS: It is. Five, don’t look back. SAM YAO: The shepherdess – I mean, Claire - PAULA COHEN: Patient Sixteen. She was Patient Sixteen. SAM YAO: She’s got up, Runner Five. She’s after you, faster than before! She’s gaining on you! CLAIRE BARNETTE: You’ll pay for that, eh. SAM YAO: Her skull was crushed! MAXINE MYERS: Could the healing factor continue after death? PAULA COHEN: Oh, Maxie, I’m afraid the evidence suggests you may be right. SAM YAO: Oh, God! STEELE: I see her, Five. And we’re needed. Run! SAM YAO: She’s still uncoordinated, Five. If you and Steele can put on a good burst of speed, you might be able to lose her. PAULA COHEN: She’s losing time. Keeps dropping her stick and searching for it. Why would she have fixated on that? SAM YAO: Just keep running! Maybe if you can get out of line of sight, she won’t be able to track you. STEELE: There we are, Five. Behind this ridge, and we’re right as rain! Safe as houses! Proper as a pack of cliches! SAM YAO: There, you lost her! Bit of a toff for the post-apocalyptic world, don’t you think? STEELE: We’ll be at Hamlin shortly. I hope you won’t be too startled by what you’ll see there. The Ministry and certain other bodies are involved. Here, sign this copy of Official Secrets Act. SAM YAO: laughs He just happens to have one in his pocket? PAULA COHEN: You realize none of us are bound by that. STEELE: Now, as I was saying, some of what you’re about to see is a little jarring, but based on your reputation, I’m confident in your ability to keep a cool head, eh? We shan’t be able to go into the infirmary, but a contact will meet us outside. Beth is her name, married to Trevor. He’s at Hamlin, too. SAM YAO: Trevor and Beth… weren’t they also patients of yours? PAULA COHEN: I never knew the names, only the patient numbers. SAM YAO: Runner Five, there’s a small zombie of fast zoms coming in from the east. STEELE: More zoms, is it? Well, don’t worry, we’ll soon outpace them. radio Trevor? Yes, it’s Steele. I’m bringing in Abel Township’s emissary. Ready at the rendezvous? Yes? Good. I believe you have some items to show Runner Five, having to do with Amelia Spens, and Abel’s Runner Three, Simon Lauchlan? Come on, Five. Fast zombies behind us, and can’t keep Beth waiting! PAULA COHEN: The zombies are gaining. Here comes Patient Sixteen! CLAIRE BARNETTE: I love fast food! STEELE: There’s Beth and Trevor now. Right on time, chaps, well done! The thing is, you see, Runner Five, Beth and Trevor had a visit a few days ago from Amelia and Simon. They also wanted to look at Van Ark’s research, to go through the notes and the experiments he’s left here. sighs Of course, this means that the location’s been compromised. Beth and Trevor will have to move on. They came to us for help, and we at the Ministry will be rehousing them. But they asked a price for their information. They wanted to give this research to you personally. SAM YAO: Wait a second! My cameras aren’t brilliant in that direction, but does that woman have a vestigial tail? PAULA COHEN: Well, there’s a side effect I’ve never seen before. MAXINE MYERS: Is she one of the serum recipients? PAULA COHEN: I recognize her, Maxie. That’s Patient Twenty-two. She was part of our original clinical trial as well. SAM YAO: And now she’s growing a gecko tail. PAULA COHEN: Well, we did use stem cells obtained from lizard embryos as part of the therapy protocol. MAXINE MYERS: How on earth did you get that past the NICE? PAULA COHEN: Van Ark did the paperwork. MAXINE MYERS: Ah. STEELE: rustles Here we go. Thanks, Beth! Now, would you mind? CLAIRE BARNETTE: Always nice to see old friends! zombie splatters SAM YAO: Oh, that is gross! A woman with a vestigial tail hacking the head off a zombie with an ax! PAULA COHEN: Would it be less gross if she didn’t have a tail? SAM YAO: Not really. STEELE: Poor Claire. Come along, Runner Five. We have to leave these people in peace before the Ministry comes for them. I’ll set you on a zombie-free path. STEELE: The polaroids in that package will show you all you need to know about Amelia and Simon. As survivors of Van Ark’s medical experimentation, Beth and Trevor have been trying to work out exactly what he did, and possibly find a cure. You noticed Beth’s deformity. Yes, some of Van Ark’s victims are more fortunate than others. She got off relatively lightly. The results of his experiments were unpredictable. We’re looking for more survivors of his treatment. There’s strength in communication. That’s why Beth and Trevor wanted to reach out to you, Five. We know you were subjected to his treatment, too. PAULA COHEN: How does he know that? SAM YAO: How does he know anything? Spy satellites? Telepathy! STEELE: Never mind how I know. But you deserve to see this, Five. SAM YAO: Oh, watch out, Five. He’s doing something. PAULA COHEN: He’s just taking his gloves off. MAXINE MYERS: Paula, look at his hand. PAULA COHEN: It’s a regenerated hand. He’s like Van Ark. STEELE: As you can see, Runner Five, you’re not the only one. whinnies I must leave you now, but perhaps we’ll meet again. SAM YAO: Five, don’t go after him. If you stay on that path, you’ll get home safely. PAULA COHEN: And you won’t catch up with him on that horse. MAXINE MYERS: The Ministry have some uh, strange employees. Still, I can’t wait to see those research notes. PAULA COHEN: I’m sure there’ll be something useful in there. SAM YAO: Huh. PAULA COHEN: What? SAM YAO: Message just come in via Rofflenet. The Ministry apologize. Their operative won’t be able to meet us today. Apparently, it was supposed to be Travis. Got caught up chasing a fugitive murderer in Stockwell. So - MAXINE MYERS: Who is Steele? SAM YAO: We might never know. Come on home now, Five, quick as you can Codex Artefact Polaroid Photo It's a photo of Runner Three and Amelia Spens - a polaroid, taken recently by the date scribbled on the back. Looks like whatever Van Ark treatment they got there, Runner Three's face is back together. He does look different, though. Similar, but different. Category:Mission Category:Season Three